DALLAS (AP) — A Dallas house was so jammed with clutter that it took two days before the homeowner's body was finally discovered amid the debris, authorities said Friday.

Only after city officials brought in a contractor to remove piles of debris from the home did cadaver dogs help crews in protective suits locate the 67 year old man Thursday.

At one point during the search, emergency workers who had looked through multiple piles of clutter without finding the man cut holes in the roof to gain access through the attic. The debris reached to the ceiling in some areas.

The carcasses of two dogs and a raccoon found amid the squalor distracted cadaver dogs used in the search. Also found were gallon milk jugs filled with urine as the bathroom was inaccessible because of the clutter.

"We just could not get around or find anything," said Dallas Fire Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender.

Authorities went to the house last weekend on a welfare check after the unidentified man had not been heard from since March 15.

Workers wearing protective suits and breathing gear could be seen this week removing loads of trash from the home, including outdated electronics.

"It honestly looks as though if you didn't throw away anything — anything at all for, say, 20 years," neighbor Mary Pat Rodriguez told Dallas station WFAA-TV. "That's what your house would look like inside."

It's not clear if foul play is suspected in the man's death. Homicide detectives are helping with the investigation, but police didn't immediately respond to messages seeking details about those detectives' involvement.

A Chihuahua was alive amid the disarray. Leo Gregg, a friend of the man, told local television stations he is now caring for the dog named Buddy.

well, I lost a good friend at 14 to leukemia, my best friend at 17 in a motorcycle wreck, another lifetime friend at 30 to murder, my cousin was a navy seal who died in venezuela, my uncle in Iraq in 1991..... and my daddy in 2011
death is no stranger and I think thats why I get so butthurt over families not being family
I never got to say goodbye and I love you to anyone I have ever lost
hang on while you can

How sad. Hoarding is due to mental illness and is usually triggered by trauma, usually the death of a loved one. They find it hard to part with anything for fear of more loss and hurt. It is an illness that is very hard to overcome and most relapse after getting professional help.